Verizon Wireless

Do Verizon have a distinctive competency? If So, what is the Source of that competency? Yes. Verizon have a distinctive competency. Source of competency It has the largest coverage area. Verizon use automated software programs that analyzed the call habits of individual customers. Provide customer care service. How do Verizon’s Customer service capabilities and Coverage Affect the Quality of its service Offering? How Do You think they affect Verizon’s cost structure? Quality of service offering: By provide clear connections and fewer dropped calls than on any other network that affect the quality of its service offering.It was the First wireless provider to connect to the internet in major metropolitans areas via a laptop or cell phone. It had automated software programs to analyze the call habits of individual customer, for which its goal was to anticipate customer needs and satisfaction. Affect on cost structure: Verizon has invested Heavily in it’s customer ca re function That affects the cost structure of the Verizon wireless. How would you characterized Verizon’s Business-level strategy? How do the company’s functional Strategies enable it to implement its business-level strategy?Verizon’s business level strategy : Verizon’s has largest coverage area of any wireless provider that differentiate their products from its rivals. By offering nation wide broad band service, enjoy the large market share. Took unique Advertisement strategy. Using â€Å"TEST MAN† advertisement. The way Functional level strategies enable to Implement Business level Strategy: Firstly , the company invested heavily in building high quality nationwide wireless network. That helped it to position itself on differentiation base to its customer.Verizon’s churn rate is lower than its rivals and this has increased their customer and achieves economies of scale by spreading fixed cost of building network over a large customer base . It installed CDMA technology instead of traditional GSM, which gave differential advantages over GSM to provide better service and lowering its cost. Do you think that Verizon has a sustainable competitive advantage in the wireless business? I think verizon has a sustainable competitive advantage. Because: Verizon has Nationwide wireless network.

The Biggest Migration in Global History

In 1886, the Statue of â€Å"Liberty Enlightening the World,† a gift from the people of France, was dedicated by President Grover Cleveland. Set at the entrance of New York, the statue was just in time to greet the biggest migration in global history. Between the years of 1860-1910, more than twenty-two million immigrants had entered the country . This influx of immigration became known as the New Immigration. Industrialization had taken over agriculture and American industries were experiencing one of their greatest booms, thus a greater demand for workers . Immigrants from all over Europe came in hopes of securing for themselves money to return home with, or in some cases, a permanent position in a country of abundant opportunity. Although this increase in immigration eventually led to restrictive immigration laws, ultimately, this group of â€Å"New Immigrants† not only provided a much-needed economic service, but also added to the diversity of our â€Å"melting-pot† country. The promise of immediate employment and political and economic freedom were more than enough reasons to entice immigrants to come to the United States; in 1864, some 194,000 immigrants landed in America . Until 1897, ninety percent of all overseas immigrants arrived mostly from northern and western Europe, primarily from Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, and Scandinavia . Most of these new immigrants came from lands with democratic traditions and education systems and were welcomed by the native-born Americans because they possessed much needed industrial skills. The new immigrants, primarily the Scandinavians, used the Homestead Act to receive land in the Midwest and start small farms . They had families and skills to offer and were not a migrant group; they planned to stay and make it in America. However, by 1905, partially encouraged by the new technology of steamships and cheaper ocean passage rates, the number of immigrants had risen to 1,285,000 people annually . More than a million immigrants arrived in each of the years 1905, 1907, and 1910, some fleeing the â€Å"pogroms† (organized massacres) taking place in Eastern Europe, and others seeking a life that they could never have within the borders of their poverty-stricken countries . These later immigrants, arriving from southern and eastern Europe, were Czechs, Poles, Ukrainians, Serbs, Slovaks and Russian, as well as Italians, Greeks, Hungarians, and Rumanians. Approximately ten percent of them were Jews fleeing from the repressive policies of Czarist Russia under Alexander III, although Roman and Orthodox Catholics were among the arrivals . The masses of immigrants were overwhelming. By 1887, it became obvious that Castle Garden (immigrant receiving station) was too small to process the large numbers of immigrants pouring into the country . Castle Garden had because so small, that criminals were simply hanging out at the receiving station to rob the immigrants inside, instead of waiting for them to get on the streets. Thus, the government built Ellis Island and immigrants continued pouring in. The number of immigrants was so great that by 1910 immigrants and their families composed over half the total population of 18 major cities . In Chicago, eight out of ten residents were immigrants or children of immigrants . The response to these newcomers was unfriendly and inhospitable. The Americans who saw their job security challenged by immigrants that were willing to work longer hours for lower wages did not welcome them. The newcomers did not have the same culture as the first immigrants that had come from Northern and Western Europe. Most lacked skills and very few spoke English, some could not read or write in any language. The Slavic and Polish (excluding Jewish) immigrant groups were viewed as unskilled, illiterate, and transient and were seen as a bigger threat to American institutions than the other European ethnic groups. They were not ambitious people, tended to keep to themselves, and were opposed to the American idea of materialism. Many of the Slavs and Poles distrusted American public schools; they withdrew their children from school and encouraged them to seek training in a trade, thus allowing a high rate of dropouts. Likewise, Italians were discriminated against because they also provided cheap labor and, naturally of a clannish nature, tended to move and settle as a group in Italian communities where they only worked with fellow countrymen and did not learn the ways of urban life. Americans thought that Italians did not assimilate into the American culture well since they held on their old-country traditions and cultures so strongly. Assimilation was important to the Americans because they were fearful of the change that came with other cultures, not to mention their resentment towards the new languages already replacing English in several parts of the cities. The Italians also brought the Mafia, which although in Italy enforced justice, came under the control of criminals in the US, and became known for racketeering, blackmail, and extortion. The immigrants were blamed for creating disorder and violence in the cities, and in general, were thought to be â€Å"birds of passage† who would use the American economy to make their fortunes, then return to their native land taking American dollars. The ever-growing influx of immigrants disturbed many native-born Americans who were annoyed by the newcomers† appearance and way of life. They expected these people, no matter what their place of origin, to conform to Anglo-Saxon patterns of behavior and to cherish the institutions of America. These anti-immigrant, nativist, sentiments, and the hatred and prejudice toward these immigrants led to the passing of immigration laws that greatly restricted the flow of immigration . The first restrictive law prevented immigration of lunatics, criminals, polygamists, people with diseases, and those likely to be public charges. In August of 1882, the first federal immigration law was adopted. This law put a head tax on all immigrant passengers. In February of 1885, a law prohibiting the importation of contract labor, called the Foran Act, was enacted. In 1906, leaders of the Boston Immigration Restriction League used the arguments of racial superiority to limit immigration. Finally, in 1924, the Fundamentalists succeeded in passing the National Origins act, which allowed the US to restrict the number of immigrants to 164,000 a year, and also favor immigrants from Western Europe over those from Eastern Europe . Many American believed that these immigration restrictions were necessary to keep the American institution cities from deteriorating. The population living in cities of over 30,000 increased from ten percent of the total in 1860 to more than twenty-five percent of the total US population by 1900 . The pressure of the tremendous inflow of immigrants quickly outstripped the ability of the nation†s established institutions to cope with them. Already poor in the Old Country, for the most part, they arrived in America penniless and made their homes in the growing tenements of America†s major cities. The severe strain on the housing situation coupled with discriminatory practices eventually led to the creation of ghettos. Women and children were often sent to work to contribute to the survival of the family, old-world views that eventually led to wholesale exploitation of child labor. Poverty on a never-before-seen scale became the norm in America†s urban centers. Perplexed, poor, and lacking knowledge of the American lifestyle, these immigrants were used as a low-paid labor force for dirty jobs that nobody else wanted and felt the harshness of Industrialism the most. They did not know their bosses, class animosity often divided management and labor, and their interests and wants were of little concern to the corporations. Because these people did not have the proper education, many of them remained unskilled or semi-unskilled throughout their lives. Although many could not attain the work skills they needed, they gained many other things. By the early 1900†³s, ninety percent of those who could not speak English learned to do so in less than ten years after they arrived, and only a third was still illiterate . Despite their many hardships, the new immigrants were determined to make it in the New World. For example, the Slavs† ability to take the worst jobs and stick with them enabled them to become one of the top two ethnic groups representing employees of America†s leading industries . It was the clashing of old-world views with those of new-world ideas that forced compromises that helped to advance social and political thoughts. The cities would not have grown without people to provide cheap labor in the factories, and it was the willingness to provide a cheap source of labor and to work the most difficult and menial jobs that helped enable the United Stated to make the economic gains that she made.

Evaluation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Evaluation - Assignment Example In addition to identification of the audience, the author also needs to understand the purpose of the evaluation and finally the author should also have knowledge of the intended influence on its readers. In A guide To Reading Evaluations, it gives the fundamentals of evaluating any piece of writing. The guide makes an analysis of Amitai Etzioni’s evaluation of the fast food jobs offer to high school students by McDonald’s. In this evaluation the author looks at the case is a two-tier structure. The first structure is reading for meaning. In reading for meaning the evaluator looks at the case with a sole purpose of understanding the case judgment and way of reasoning. In the second tier the author seeks to employ the different strategies used in evaluation which include: presentation of well detailed subject, adequate supportive facts on arguments and counter arguments proper response to alternative judgments and objections and a proper organization of ideas and

Films Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Films - Essay Example Despite living in an isolated region, she finds a haven in the region and makes a feast out of the catch from the sea (Betts, 35)."The waters gonna rise up so high, aint gonna be no Bathtub," she states, "just a whole buncha water" (Betts, 35). Hush puppy exhibits warmth and love to her environment and she is ever vibrant despite the imminent hard life observable for the general viewing of the movie. Similar to Hushpuppy, Duncan in â€Å"The Way, Way Back,† exposes traits of a hero. The movie exhibits a hazy and bittersweet tone or mood with reference to the recollection that shown in the month of July humidity. Duncan in the The Way Way Back is typically a young boy at the age of 14 years, goes to summer season getaway with his mother Pam (Toni Collette), and her romantic lover, Trent (Hauge & Michael, 132). Pam recognizes solely Trent’s great factors, while Trent creates hurdles for Duncan while at the beach which eventually prompts Duncan desire to run away from the beach. Following cycling of his bike Duncan locates a water park referred to as Water Wizz where he ultimately meets reckless Owen who is the owner of the park. Duncan secures a job from Owen at that point leaving his home challenges at away and further establishes warm relationship with Owen and a girl by the name Susanna. Duncan dislike for Trent is backed by the realization by Pam that Trent had b een unfaithful to her. Towards the end of the movie, Duncan triumphs over Trent as the preferred by Pam. Duncan grows into a man with self confidence and brave kind of self worth. Duncan undergoes critical challenges in the film as at one point he suffers the strikes of Trent. The neglect of a mother and consistent mistreatment mother’s boy friend facilitates the sculpturing of the future of Duncan. Duncan is also exposed to extreme conditions of exposure to sexual contents. At one point Duncan questions him,

Technology (Jeff Hans multi-touch sensor + applications protaining to Essay

Technology (Jeff Hans multi-touch sensor + applications protaining to this new software ) - Essay Example We have came a long way since 1979 and have witnessed many new advancements made in this field but none compare to the creation of Jeff Han’s Multi-touch sensor. Developed in NYUs Department of Computer Science, the multi-touch sensor is a revolutionary device that will forever change the way humans interact with machines. The multi-touch sensor in its simplest form is an advance version of the touch screen interface. A touch screen is a unique input device that eliminates the conventional use of the computer’s mouse and keyboard and replaces it with the use of a human hand and a touch sensitive screen. The concept of using human touch as the means to communicate becoming popular, owes its origins to the works of Sherrick (1985) and Rollmam (1999), changing the paradigm of commands and input devices in a computer controlled environment. (1). Unlike its predecessor the multi-touch system has the capabilities to recognize more then just one touch point. A touch point is the contact made on a particular touch screen; this is possible by sensors that pick up the pressure made form the human touch, the heat from a human hand, and or cameras that capture the actual touch made. Software programs can be written to make use of this technology to vastly enhance the interaction between the human and the c omputer. (2). The significance of the multi-touch interface can not be adequately understood unless one knows the significance of a regular touch screen. Touch screens in general already eliminate the use of the bulky keyboard and mouse. This presents a friendly outlook on the computer experience which enables the creation of a flux in user. It eliminates the analogy of the word desktop and actually transforms the computer in to an actual desk. This effect is crated by the touch screen interface that allows users to touch what they see. No longer are icons and images viewed as being an abstract object on a screen, but through the means of the touch screen they

What effect does the brightness of light have on the growth rate of a Coursework

What effect does the brightness of light have on the growth rate of a plant - Coursework Example Any change in the growth of plants will thus affect the ecosystem, and thus is important to be studied. In this experiment, pea plants were used to determine whether sunlight has an effect on plant growth. A group of growing seedlings were exposed to the sun, while another set was placed away from light. The heights of the plants were measured repeatedly for 7 days after the seed germination. Results are shown below. Figure 1: Scatter plot of the average values from Table 1. Standard deviations are indicated as error bars. It can be seen that plants L1-L5 were generally taller than D1-D5. As well, it can be noted that the rate at which the plants grow from day 7 to day 14 are faster in well-lit plants than in non-lit plants, as the slope of the trend line for the former is steeper than that of the latter. Conclusion After the experiment, it was observed that well-lit plants grow longer than the non-lit plants. Sunlight is thus necessary in the growth of plants. Theory Photosynthesis Sunlight, through the photons it bears, drives photosynthesis, the food-making process of plants. Without it, plants do not have a source of nutrition needed to power even the most basic processes such as growth (Campbell and Reece, 2002). Photosynthesis is a collection of reactions that results in the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to carbohydrate and the production of oxygen gas (O2) from water (H2O). Pigment molecules such as chlorophyll and carotenoids in the chloroplast organelle are converted to excited electronic state, called excitons, by the photons. This conversion, no matter how effective, is still inefficient, as some of the excitons are converted back into photons as fluorescence, while some are lost as heat. For those that remain in the chloroplast, they drive the electron transport chain along the membrane proteins of the chloroplast, and produce a proton gradient between the membranes. This gradient, in turn, drives the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), w hich is necessary to drive the other part of photosynthesis that converts CO2 to carbohydrates (Whitmarsh and Govindjee, 1995). Phytochromes Aside from photosynthesis, light influences the plants on its other functions through molecules called phytochromes. The light-sensing portion (chromophore) of phytochromes has two isomeric forms, the red-absorbing (Pr) and the far red-absorbing (Pfr), with the former being the synthesized form and the latter instigating most of the plant developmental processes such as germination. Upon exposure of the seed and plant to light, especially red light, Pr is converted to Pfr (Campbell and Reece, 2002). According to Batty (1989), this mechanism ensures that wherever the seed falls, it will be germinating in a place with sunlight, which is needed for photosynthesis, as described above. In contrast, when it falls in a shaded soil, germination is delayed until, by some mechanical force, it is transferred to an area with more sunlight. Aside

Why I majoring in communication studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why I majoring in communication studies - Essay Example I am an international student and it partially explains why I am so interested in studying everything related to communication. I came from Taiwan and my cultural and social background is totally different from what I see around me now. Cross-cultural communication is a popular theme for studies and I am proud to know that I can contribute to this sphere being in between the East and the West. Communication Studies help me to grow as a person and keep my mind flexible and open for other people and cultures. It is my path to understanding my place in society and realizing my potential as a professional in the sphere of communication. I believe that theory is not enough to develop solid knowledge, skills and abilities related to communication. It is the reason why I am a proactive member of several organizations that help me to learn. First of all, I am a member of the international student volunteer club where I meet many interesting people from different corners of the world. Working side by side with other international students I feel that my communication skills are improving day by day. Every new task brings me more inspiration to study. Every new person I meet motivates me to learn more in order to make our cooperation pleasant, comfortable and effective. I do not try to blend with people around me and to change my beliefs about communication and approach to it. My desire to feel comfortable has resulted in the decision to become a member of Taiwanese Student Association. Here I am able to share my experience with other people and help newcomers to adapt to new communication situation quickly and effectively. It is a nice opportunity to use knowledge practically and develop new skills relevant for my future profession. Finally, I go to International Student Fellowship in order to learn more about other people around me. This organization gives me many chances to meet new people and share everything I know with them. Active participation

Check fax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Check fax - Essay Example the commodities produced are alike and because of this cause there is Promotion, marketing or publicity. Though it is not possible for a firm to be perfect model of perfect competition but there are some that are nearer for example; Stock Market, as there are lots of purchasers and vendors, no obstructions to entry and the good is not differentiated. (Mahanty, p. 264) There is absolute sovereignty of admission of new firms into the Market. Firms already operating in the market are not capable to prevent new firms enter the business. Starting a business takes time, therefore freedom of entry concerns in the long run. An extension of this assumption is that there is complete factor mobility in the long run. If earnings are elevated than somewhere else, resources will be liberally attracted into that business. Similarly if wages are elevated than for comparable labor somewhere else, employees will liberally shift into that business and will face no hurdles. (Schnaars, p. 31) If the firm’s average cost (AC) curve (which incorporates normal profit) hangs beneath the firm’s average revenue (AR) curve, the firm will make abnormal profit. Abnormal profit for each unit at Q1 is the vertical gap amid AR and AC at Q1. Entire abnormal profit is shown by the rectangle P1ABC in Figure 1.1. There is also a situation when the firm cannot earn a profit at any level of production. This condition would arise if the firms AC curve were on top of the AR curve at each and every point. This is shown in figure 1.2, where the industry price is P2.In this situation, the position where MC curve intersects MR curve signifies the loss minimizing position .The total of loss is represented by the rectangle P2FED. (Parkin, p. 240) Pricing with no market control (perfect competition) is resolute in the industry (Market) by the meeting point of supply and demand. At this price the firm countenances a flat

What is good about stillwater Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What is good about stillwater - Essay Example This is not possible in Kuwait due to the extremely hot weather. If my head is already aching due to study, I can take a walk outside which refreshes the mind seeing trees and greeneries while enjoying the weather. If I will do this in Kuwait, I will be toasted by the sun and will likely lose my mood to study again. It is not only me who enjoys the weather in Stillwater. My wife is beginning to love the outdoors which she used to avoid back in Kuwait because of the scorching heat. She can now walk with a stroller with our baby which was not advisable in Kuwait because of the baby’s sensitivity to heat. The population of students at Oklahoma State University at Stillwater comes from different countries and ethnicity and this gives me wonderful opportunity not only to learn the curriculum but also other people from different cultures. In a way, studying at Stillwater does not only expand my mind through its academic rigors but also expands my cultural perspective being to understand people from perspectives and backgrounds different from mine. This is called cultural agility which is necessary skill at the global economy. The interconnectedness of countries and economies will require us someday to work with other people of different nationality. This opportunity of learning other people of different cultures would be very limited had I studied in Kuwait. Colleges in Kuwait are also very good except that curriculums are taught in Arabic and this limits foreign students to enroll there. So in effect, Kuwait colleges does not provide an opportunity to be exposed in an international env ironment because most of its students came from Kuwait and Gulf countries. Studying in Kuwait would not expand my cultural horizon as it would if I will study at Stillwater. Having a diploma from Oklahoma State University at Stillwater will surely give me an

Prescribed methods and tools can be developed for all consulting jobs Essay

Prescribed methods and tools can be developed for all consulting jobs because all Organisations eventually have the same type of problems - Essay Example he client organizations in a wide-range of sectors including finance and banking, telecoms and entertainment, government, health, utilities, energy, mining and infrastructure, retail and consumer business, not for profit/social and manufacturing (O’Mahoney, 2010). This essay aims to analyze the argument, whether prescribed methods and tools can be developed for all consulting jobs because all organisations eventually have the same type of problems, by evaluating published literature in scholarly journals and books. First, the types of management consultancies and the approaches, methods and tools they employ in relation to the various consulting jobs required by client organizations will be examined. Next, the essay will investigate consultancy-client interactions and issues, followed by conclusions The approaches, tools and methods employed by management consultancies to provide assistance to client are principally positioned in the context of organizational development and change, and fundamentally based on reactions to changing external environment (Biggs, 2010). A broader perspective on the change process which explains the overall beliefs concerning realization of a desired change is referred to as approach, whereas the term method provides operational guidance regarding effective management of the change process. The word tool describes a specific practice employed for solving a focused issue during the change process. However, since tools may be slackly connected to specific methods, same tools can be applicable in change processes under different methods. The methods and tools which prove to be effective when employed in a change process, i.e., aligned with client’s strategy and resources, determine their legitimacy. However, some consultants argue that value in the change process is created by unique knowledge and expertise of the consultant rather than the method itself (Werr et al., 1997). Due to the global transition of production-based economy to

The most persuasive of three models of attorney-client relationship Essay Example for Free

The most persuasive of three models of attorney-client relationship Essay While in the attorney-client relationship, lawyers face three obligations in performance.   First, they must assume the duty of fully investigating a client’s case.   Lawyers should seek out all relevant acts.   This information is necessary to provide the client with an effective counsel.   The second duty is zealous client advocacy. These duties are sometimes at odds with the third duty which is the obligation of lawyers to the court.   All active lawyers are officers of the court and therefore, hold certain responsibilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It has been argued that only two of the above three obligations can be met at any given time.  Ã‚   Dean Freeman is quoted as saying, â€Å"To convert the defendant’s only champion into yet another member of the state’s legions seems an unnecessary and offensive step.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first and second obligations are in place to insure zealous advocacy; and the third is essential for lawyers to participate in the judicial system as it is designed. (Retrieved on 11/17/06 from source: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3975/is_200207/ai_n9119407)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ABA has promulgated three model codes of lawyers since 1908.   The Canons of Ethics in 1908 was first.   This established many rules and codes that are still in effect today.   One thing the Canons did was to ban lawyers from advertising, except in the case of handing out business cards.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Canons were the ABA’s direct response to President Roosevelt’s 1905 criticism of lawyers as â€Å"hired Cunning†, or, those who, for lucrative fees, undermined the public interest by their representation of corporation and wealthy individuals.   These Cannons were adopted and were the legal profession’s authoritative statement of how a lawyer should act. (Retrieved on 11/17/06 from source: www.bryancave.com)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The 1908 Canons included the duty of an attorney to keep a client’s secrets. This element of confidentiality is the duty I hold most important.   The Canons of 1908 set the premise of trust in the minds of the general, lawyer seeking public.   Attorneys can be more persuasive to their clients in regards to gaining their trust, if the client knows their secrets will be kept and confidentiality is firmly in place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The American Bar Association Model Code of Professional Responsibility was created in 1969.   This was a set of professional standards intended to guarantee the minimum legal ethics and responsibility of lawyers in the U.S.   It was ultimately replaced with the Model Rules of Professional Conduct after the Watergate scandal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While I do feel all three model codes are important, the Canons are most persuasive in my book as they lay a firm base for what is expected from today’s lawyers:   Confidentiality, competence, honesty, loyalty and client’s access to progress through exchange of information. (Retrieved on 11/17/06 from source: www.dcbar.org)

New century health clinic

New century health clinic Background Five years ago, cardiologists Timothy Jones and Dolores Garcia decided to combine their individual practices in Fullerton, California, to form the New Century Health Clinic. They wanted to concentrate on preventive medicine by helping patients maintain health and fitness and by providing traditional medical care. Dr. Jones recently asked you to work with him as an IT consultant. He wants you to help New Century develop an information system that will support the clinics operations and future growth. During an initial meeting, he provided you with some background information and asked for your suggestions about how to get started. At your desk, you begin to review New Centurys situation. The clinic is located near a new shopping mall in a busy section of the city. New Centurys staff includes four doctors, three registered nurses, four physical therapists, and six office staff workers. The clinic currently has a patient base of 3,500 patients from 275 different employers, many of which provide insurance coverage for employee wellness and health maintenance. Currently, New Century accepts 34 different insurance policies. Anita Davenport, who has been with New Century since its inception, is the office manager. She supervises the staff, including Fred Brown, Susan Gifford, Tom Capaletti, Lisa Sung, and Carla Herrera. Fred Brown handles office payroll, tax reporting, and profit distribution among the associates. Susan Gifford is responsible for the maintenance of patient records. Tom Capaletti handles most of the paperwork concerning insurance reporting and accounting. Lisa Sung has the primary responsibility for the appointment book, and her duties include making reminder calls to patients and preparing daily appointment lists. Carla Herrera primarily is concerned with ordering and organizing office and clinic supplies. Each of the six office staff people has one or more primary responsibilities; however, all members of the staff help out whenever necessary with patient records, insurance processing, and appointment processing. In addition to their regular responsibilities, all six office workers are involved in the preparation of patient statements at the end of each month. New Century Health Clinics office manager, Anita Davenport, recently asked permission to hire an additional office clerk because she feels the current staff can no longer handle the growing workload. The associates discussed Anitas request during a recent meeting. They were not surprised that the office staff was feeling overwhelmed by the constantly growing workload. Because the clinic was busier and more profitable than ever, they all agreed that New Century could afford to hire another office worker. Dr. Jones then came up with another idea. He suggested that they investigate the possibility of computerizing New Centurys office systems. Dr. Jones said that a computerized system could keep track of patients, appointments, charges, and insurance claim processing and reduce paperwork. All the associates were enthusiastic about the possibilities and voted to follow up on the suggestion. Dr. Jones agreed to direct the project. Because no member of the staff had computer experience, Dr. Jones decided to hire a consultant to study the current office systems and recommend a course of action. Several friends recommended you as a person who has considerable experience with computerized business Based on the given scenario above, what kinds of questions would you ask to assess the initial feasibility of this project information, does the project seem feasible? [25 marks] Describe what will be the plan of action if New Century Health Clinic management decided to contract your services to perform a preliminary investigation? [25 marks] What types of information is needed when you begin the preliminary investigation? From whom will you obtain it? What techniques will you use in your fact-finding? INTRODUCTION The New century health clinic is a fitness and health centre which is well-known and recognized in Fullerton, Carlifornia. The major priority of the listed clinic earlier on, is to concentrate on preventive medicine by giving helping hands to patients in maintaining and monitoring their health, keeping their fitness level and medical status balanced. But it has now become a necessity and a must look into situation concerning the work load and over stressful working conditions which the staffs have to face because, they cant run from their responsibilities. In such circumstances like this, the clinic needs to change its total official system of operation from manual administration /managerial form to computerized management form that will enhance the efficiency and services of the clinic and also save work time. In the mentioned scenario above , an IT consultant is been required to develop the new computerized information system.Whereby the given system will be easier to manipulate and also user friendly in supporting the clinics entire management scheme and functions including the future growth of the clinic. First of all in order to develop the clinics new system, the IT consultant should be able to analyse the issue or problem been faced before taking essential steps in producing a final system that meets the requirements of all end-users. Based on the given scenario above, what kinds of questions would you ask to assess the initial feasibility of this project information, does the project seem feasible? RESPONSE Feasibility study, as we all know, is simply referred to as series of test been performed to the system request/ requirements to check and determine whether it is suitable and convenient to carry on or proceed further on with the development of the given system. Therefore, to carry on with such initial feasible study, the system analyst (SA) or IT consultant needs to interview the end-user by asking important and relevant questions which will make a great impact or effect on the operational, technical and economic feasibilities to be known by urging the IT consultant to take decisions which the system project will follow the next steps to develop or improve successfully. Else, the total work will be ended. Cases like this been faced by New century clinic, this are valuable questions to be asked in order to evaluate the initial feasibility of the proposed new systems development: What are the problems being faced using the current manual system? How does the clinic manage all official works using the manual system? How will the clinic manage all official works if the new system is not implemented? Are the staffs/ end-users of new computerized system in your clinic computer literates? Dose the new computerized system contribute to all depts. And objectives of the clinic? How would the new computerized system enhance or solve problems occurring with the manual system? Does the new system have direct contribution to the clinics business objectives? By asking questions like this, the necessity of implementing or developing new system can be evaluated or measured. However, to be more broad and fluent in the total feasibility of the proposed project, more questions need to be asked concerning the operational, technical and economical feasibility. Operational feasibility: This simply means that the system will be used efficiently after the development and implementation as the user demands because if the system develops defects or become ineffective the end-users face difficulties to work with the system, that means the expected benefit will be tarnished and the new system becomes unproductive. To make sure none of such incidents occur, these are questions that need to be asked concerning its operational feasibility: Do the whole management and users of the new system support the project? Do the users notice the need for change of current manual system? Will the new system reduce workforce? Is the manual system interactive and also being practised effectively by the users? What will be the next step for affected employees if workforce reduction occurs? Technical Feasibility This simply means that the given organisation for which the system will be developed, has enough resources of hardware and software technology to develop, install and operate the new system. In order to operate such new systems adequately, the appropriate technology should be put in effect; even if it requires additional up-to-date and advanced technology. Therefore to evaluate the technical feasibility for New Century Health Clinic, these are relevant questions needed to be asked: Can the clinic manage the needed hardware, software, and network resources to implement the computerized system? Does the clinic have the necessary technical knowledge? How can the clinic acquire the technical knowledge if they do not have? Economical Feasibility This refers to the total benefit of the new system being outweighed than the total estimated cost for implementing the system. Whereby the estimated cost can either be increased or decreased any time while doing the project development and implementation. While doing all this there is something the organisation need to bear in mind; Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) including its continuous support and maintenance Costs with acquisition costs. To verify such Economical feasibility of the clinic, these are relevant questions needed to be asked: Is the benefit of the new system outweighing the estimated costs? What are the probable savings and costs for acquiring, installing and finally operating the new system? Does the current problem have any significance? Are there any intangible factors like patient satisfaction, clinic image etc.? Will the system requirements outcome be a sound business investment? Does the project seem feasible? From the question being asked above, due to relevant aspects, the initial feasibility of the project been detailed can be assessed easily and effectively. It is expected that the above questions regarding the feasibilities are well-answered that enhance to develop the new computerized system for the clinic. Therefore, from the answers to the already asked questions as well as the given information in the scenario, it is understood that the project of new system development for the New Century Health Clinic is quite feasible. Describe what will be the plan of action if New Century health Clinic management decided to contract your services to perform a preliminary investigation? RESPONSE The system requirements from the New Century Health Clinic is totally feasible. In order to continue the project some investigations have to be carried out for studying the system request and for suggesting the specific action. This is called preliminary investigation. To execute the preliminary investigation, the steps given below will be followed: but, before starting the investigation, interaction with Managers and users are prompted: in this particular phase, it needs to meet with the clinic doctors, Managers, Staffs and users to describe the detailed responsibilities, answer questions and request comments of the project. The project will bring a significant change in the clinic after development. The users, staffs and doctors might be curious, concerning the changes or they might even resist it. The primary interaction will be of a good help because the opinion, thoughts and reaction of every member/staff of the clinic is very important to know more about constraints and difficulties in the clinic. These are the main six steps to carry out during such investigation: UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM OR OPPORTUNITY: In the first approach, the business profile and business model will be developed where the business process and functions will be described. That is where the main problem or operations of the clinic may be understood. In the process carrying out this approach the new system request may not reveal the basic problems of the clinic or may be, the proposed system can affect the total clinics operation and system. To eliminate these problems, it must need to understand the systems request and its opportunity of the project at hand. Define the project scope and constraints: This is actually the defining of boundaries or extent of the project where the irrelevant expenses of time and money are been avoided and only the main problem is focused. Constraints are the conditions or requirements that the system must meet and the end results of that constrains and it must be a recorded success. Also, project scopes are described in system constrains. There are characteristics needed to be identified in the proposed system while checking for constrains such as: Internal vs. external constrains Present vs. Future Constrains Mandatory vs. Desirable Constrains etc. in order to avoid misunderstanding and future problems I would lay down a piece of advice insisting that the project scope and constrains are been identified earlier. Performing fact-finding: This is a technique used to find out necessary information from companies and organisations which comprises of various approaches and steps to carry out. We are going to implement these approaches in the clinics doctors, staffs and users for investigating the system request. In this case, the following fact-finding techniques can be used: Interviews Questionnaires and surveys Review current documentation Analyse organization chart Observe operation Estimate time and cost to continue development: The detailed time and cost estimation for the further development phase and the overall project will be developed with some important issues, so that the clinics doctor and manager can understand the total cost and time which will be effective for economic feasibility. Determine Feasibility: Following the previous four step of preliminary investigation, the total feasibility of the project been carried out will be determined in this particular stage. Present results and recommendations to management: in the final stage, a preliminary investigation report will be prepared to management which includes the assessment of the system requirements, the estimation of the total cost and benefits including the recommendation of processing to next phase named system analysis. What types of information is needed when you begin the preliminary investigation? From whom will you obtain it? What techniques will you use in your fact-finding? [20 marks] Response Before starting the preliminary investigations, there are some essential Information to be known about the clinic, its current and proposed system, etc. It can be clearly acquired from the feasibility study consisting of the three main users approaches stated as follows: Operational Feasibility Technical Feasibility Economical Feasibility Some more information like- Clinics background and overview Information about the Doctors, nurses, manager and staffs The projects priority Benefits of the new computerized system Effect of the new system in the clinic etc. Form the chart, it can be measured that the total manpower of the clinic is 17. They are: 4 doctors (with 2 founders) 3 nurses 4 physical Therapists 1 office manager 5 office staff To gain the required information for beginning the preliminary investigations, it required that you meet with these 17 manpower i.e. the clinics doctors, nurses, physical therapists, manager, and staffs of the clinic. In the meeting, by asking questions and collecting some documents, related to the required information or further investigation (if need arises), whereby the essential or wanted information can be gathered. In the preliminary investigation stage, fact-finding is a very important step. From the various fact-finding techniques, any one or more techniques can be used for fact-finding. With appropriate and suitable technique, the needed information for system request investigation can be gathered. In the case of New Century Health Clinic, I would rather say Interview is the best fact-finding technique. An Interview is a planned meeting with any person during which the required information can be obtained in-depth from that person. This is the primary method of acquiring information during preliminary investigation stage where the purpose of interview is to uncover facts of the proposed project. These are the reasons for choosing interview as a fact-finding technique for the clinic: The number of manpower of the clinic is very small (17 people only). That is why, it will not be time consuming and cost effective. It will be possible here to ask necessary and effective questions to person by person as well as listen carefully the answers. It can also be possible to achieve every persons own opinion about the current and new system proposed. It has chance to do open-ended questions as well as a set of questionnaires on a same topic to the every person, so that personal opinion(s) on the same topic also with their own idea can be verified. The reliability of the systems request can be measured appropriately from the interviewing of the people personally. It would be the most effective technique for acquiring all the required information from the personnel of the clinic. However, in this preliminary stage, to save time and cost, it should take interview of the two founder doctors, the managers and the five staffs first. Most importantly, interviews can be carried out on the remaining personnel if need arises. Conclusions: The New Century Health Clinic is suffering from problems to use the manual system for their office works. As an efficient and user-friendly replacement, the clinic management likes to use computerized system. As an IT consultant, a new computerized system for this clinic will be developed in this project by performing all the primary steps like evaluation and understanding the project, feasibility study, preliminary investigation, fact-finding etc. It is expected that the proposed new computerized system project, finally, will perform adequately and successfully for the New Century Health Clinic that will help the clinics management system to do their regular work properly with more efficiency References: [WIK08] Wikipedia (2008), Feasibility study Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feasibility_study [BLU07] Blurtit (2007), What are the basic questions for feasibility study?- The key questions for feasibility study? http://www.blurtit.com/q393090.html [McG97] Mcgraw-Hill (1997), Avison, D.E. and Shah, H.U., The Information Systems Development Life Cycle: A First Course in Information Systems, McGraw-Hill International Editions, 1997, Pages 72 and 92-99. Appendix: As the fact finding techniques for the New Century Health Clinic project, another two approaches can be used with the interviewing. These two techniques are Current documentation Review and Observe Current Operations. Review Current Documentation: It is a process where the current system documentation of the organization is reviewed to understand how the current system is working. For the clinics documentation, it can be out of date. So, at the documentation receiving time, it should check with the clinics persons that it is accurate and complete of information. Observe Current Operations: In this process, the typical working procedure of the worker can be viewed. The staffs of the clinic is currently doing the all the official work manually. In this case, their working procedure, input and output of the work, working time and effort etc should observe. These two techniques are not time consuming and cost effective. Nevertheless, by performing these two, the fact-finding stage will be more resourceful as well as it will be helpful to understand the system requests reliability.

Competitive Analysis of the Global Toy Industry

Competitive Analysis of the Global Toy Industry Welcome to the colorful world of teddy bears, singing dolls, miniature pianos that play nursery rhymes,  battery operated cars and stuffed dogs and rabbits that walk, talk and shake hands. In one word: Toys. Toy merchants of yester years gave shape to the creative fancies and dreams of young ones and growups  alike. The world market has seen various upheavals due to changing consumer preferences, new fads,  technological advances and trade liberalization. Countries like China have marveled the world with their  low cost manufacturing expertise while at the same time astonished them with their quick imitation,  leading all the gigantic players of the world to act on their feet and formulate strategies to counterattack  them and safeguard their shares. India too has seen a shift in focus from traditional board games like Chess (Shatranj) and Ludo (Paasa)  and sports like cricket to video games and consoles, puzzles, and Monopoly. The traditionally scattered  market has shown signs of consolidation with the entry of companies like Reliance ADAG and Mahindra   Mahindra who are both expanding the market and adding sheen to it. India as a developing economy  is a hotspot for MNCs like Mattel and Hasbro which have now become household names with Barbie  and Monopoly respectively. Big retailers of the world which exclusively cater to this segment include Toys R Us and Hamleys, which  house the best brands of the world and add a service dimension to toys. This document discusses the various classes of toys, the current global scenario for toys, how China has  affected the global toy industry, Indias market and its growth prospects. CATEGORIZATION Toys and games can fall in one of four general categories:- 1. Traditional toys: the category is essentially stagnant with 6296 manufacturers and the growth  being consistent over the years. In 2007 revenues were $21.2.billion (US Market) and $22.3  billion in 2006. It includes: Action Figures Accessories (G.I.Joes) Building Sets (Lego Sets) Dolls (Barbies) Games Puzzles (Monopoly) Plush (Soft Toys) Vehicles (HotWheels) 2. Video games: one of the fastest growing segments with revenues of $18.9 billion which is 51,2%  higher than its 2006 revenues. It includes:- Youth Electronics (PS2, X-Box) Gaming Parlours (Jammin, TimeZone) 3. Casino Games: Slot machines were introduced by casino games manufacturers which have  ultimately benefitted the video game industry. Mostly offered by hotels. Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research 4. Accessories and Others: Includes traditional games including sports items and educational toysfor infants, which is also a fast growing industry GLOBAL SCENARIO The US, China and Japan rank among the top 3 countries in terms of toy sales worldwide; their sales  being US$21.5 billion, US$4.9 billion, and US$5.8 billion respectively. Other countries with a significant  toy sector include Germany, Brazil, France, India, Australia and Canada. Though the recession influenced  toy sales, the sector did witness growth of about 3.6% with sales reaching $80 billion. The worlds largest toy manufacturer and exporter China makes 2/3 of the worlds toys; the export  value of Chinese toys in 2009 was US$7.8 billion. Guangdong, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Shandong  are the foremost production and export bases for toys in China, accounting for more than 90% of the annual sales of Chinese toys. Chinas plush toys enjoy a large share of the total sales in European American market. But the low  prices are also responsible for a low profit margin. However it entails high labor costs and therefore  manufacturing costs are pretty high. Wooden toys also have a significant share of 10% and plastic toys  are suffering due to the continuously rising price of raw materials, quality and safety issues, etc. Chinas  intellectual toys too have a broad prospect, but relevant standards need to be released so as to  guarantee the healthy development of the market. In 2009, in pace with the upgrading of technology, the toy export industry has witnessed several  changes: developed countries have diverted their demands of toys to toys such as adult toys, high-tech  electric toys, intellectual educational toys from traditional medium and low-grade products like plastic  toys and stuffed toys. Electric toys and online toys produced with high new technology have become  the new development orientation. MAJOR PLAYERS WORLDWIDE Mattel Inc.:- Mattel sells products under a host of well-known brand names such  as Barbie, Matchbox, Fischer Price, and Hot Wheels. Hasbro :- Produces popular board games such as Clue, Monopoly, and Scrabble. Its other  products include the Transformers, Mr. Potato Head, Play Doh as well as licensing agreements  with brands such asStar Wars and Marvel. JAKKS Pacific:- Produces traditional toys under licenses for brands such as Cabbage Patch  Kids, Care Bears, andHannah Montana, a particularly big earner for JAKKS in 2007. Other big names include Russ Berrie and Company, RC2, Action Products International and  Corgi International. Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Together, Mattel Inc. and Hasbro Inc. have less than 40% of the market, which analysts expect will  grow at a compound rate of roughly 2% annually. INDIAN SCENARIO Currently there are about 800 Indian games and toy manufacturers, exporters and suppliers in the small  sector of India, with a turnover nearly $2.5 billion. This includes manufacturers of electronic toys, soft  toys, educational games, toy cars, rattles, dolls, plush toys, computer games, brain teasers, children  puzzles etc. The total toys and games market in India stands at around Rs.2500 crore, of which Rs.250  crore is in Chennai. Total Market Size: Rs.2500 crore Market Structure: 35% Organized Sector, 65% Unorganised Sector Duties and Taxes: Excise Duty: 12.5% CST(Central Sales Tax): 4% Global Export Contribution: 0.4% Governing Body: Toys Association of India (TAI) Compared to European and American games and toy markets, Indian toy volumes are very low, mainly  because toy buying is a relatively urban phenomenon. Most toy manufacturers are from the  unorganised sector, who in turn sell their toys and games to big traders who market these toys. The total export market for toys and games is around Rs.18 crore. The export volumes are low because  of the quality norms abroad. Manufactured toys for export have to conform to EN 71 norms, the  European standards. The toys have to be non-toxic and safe to sell abroad. $0.00 $5,000.00 $10,000.00 $15,000.00 $20,000.00 $25,000.00 2009 (Million $) 2009 (Million $) Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Mattel, Lego and Funskool are three of the major players in the Indian toy industry. The toys and games  available in India are a mix of both fun toys and educational tools. They include dolls, puzzles, electronic  games, handmade toys, soft toys, board games, computer games etc. Indian wooden toys are of good  quality and comparable to international standards. The demand for fun toys is greater than that of  educational toys since parents usually prefer buying educational toys for their children. MAJOR INDIAN PLAYERS Zapak Games: It is a part of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group. Zapak Games operates in two  categories Game CD Toys. It is the leader in Games CD in India. It holds licenses for leading kids  properties from Cartoon Network, Nick, Disney, Pogo etc as well as represents some of the leading  global toy companies in India. The product distribution is across all toy stores and retail chains in the country through the traditional  mom n pop outlets as well as large format key account stores. We had the opportunity of seeing  some of these toys with Landmark outlets across the city. It acts as the merchandizing and licensing arm of Zapak Digital Entertainment Ltd. They are also in an association with Spin Master Ltd. which according  to NPD is the third largest toy company in North America. Mahindra and Mahindra Mom Me outlets across the city are operated by Mahindra which hosts  educational toys for children. It also has the marketing rights for Lego brand of toys and soft toys from  Disney. Some small players are: Prasid Toys Pvt Ltd. Delhi based Little Genius Toys Ltd. (Wooden Educational Toys) Leo Plast EFFECT OF CHINA ON INDIAN TOY INDUSTRY From a 2,000 players a few years ago, barely 800 survive today, it is believed that nearly 40 per cent of  toy companies have shut shop since Chinese products started flooding into the Indian market. Even as  the unorganized sector has been most hit, some of the other players like Mattel, Funskool (joint venture  between MRF Tyres Hasbro Intl), Mahindra Intertrade (markets the Lego and Disney range of toys)  and a few others are forced to fight back with a string of innovative strategies. Compared with an average Rs 35 per kg a Chinese toy maker spends, an Indian manufacturer spends Rs  65 per kilogram for raw materials. High excise duties and taxes including local taxes that vary greatly add  to their woes. Indian companies have not made efforts to market their products in a planned manner and while some  Indian companies are trying to combat the threat from Chinese toys by slashing prices by 10 to 15%;  others are strengthening their distribution skills in smaller towns, where the reach of imported toys is  still limited. INDUSTRY GROWTH Finding the right niche marketing limited to premium segment  Indian consumers are gradually becoming less price sensitive, but are ready to pay for something they  believe has a value proposition. They are realizing that toys help in the all round development of a child. Take the $6-billion Mattel Inc. for instance, after a runaway success with Barbie, Hot Wheels and Fisher  Price, it has introduced the Harry Potter range of toys which caters to the premium segment. With its  Fisher Price range, Mattel is also launching developmental activities along with toys associations,  pediatricians and playschools to educate parents on how toys help the child in understanding the adult  world better. Glocalization Go Global Act Local Almost all major players, have launched an indigenous range of competitively priced soft toys range, to  cater to the growing market. Mahindra Intertrade, for instance, launched Soft Wonders, to cater to the  economically sensitive customers. Similarly, Mattel has launched Star Beanies for Indian market and  Funskool has launched soft toys. Act Faster than the Fastest These players have also spruced up legal activities against spurious products and taken actions to make  the vigilance stricter. They try to bring in designs faster than the Chinese can imitate. For instance, once  the market gets flooded with fake products with Mickey or Donald motives, be it on cups, bottle, plates,  tiffin boxes etc, Mahindra Intertrade would quickly launch Mickey in sportswear and shift the demand. Such marketing skills a range of strong brands have enabled them withstand the Chinese threat and  allowed them to play a crucial role in growing the market. TRENDS Online Buying In 2004 when Mattel registered on Indiatimes, Rediff and Baazee, they discovered that when kids did  not look for toys online, their parents (on the lookout of discounts) did. Also online shopping for toys  accounted for approximately 2% of total sales, that is Rs 21.24 crore in 2005-06. $74.00 $76.00 $78.00 $80.00 $82.00 $84.00 2007 2008 2009 2010 $78.30 $77.50 $80.28 $83.90 USD (Billion) Mall practice Malls are an undisguised blessing for the toy makers. In a mall one gets better shelf space to exhibit  products, and the entire range can be displayed with the add ons which then have a good chance of  being sold to the potential customers. Better sales tracking is another advantage one gets from the  malls. In 2005, Mattel opened two 1,200 sq ft Barbie stores in Mumbai. Approximately 35% of the sales  for Funskool and Mattel take place at the malls. Fusing Entertainment with toys Mattel has produced five movies to promote its existing range of toys, whereas Funskool, its rival has  been using existing movies like batman to create a new range of toys for itself. Toys for Men Mattel has also launched toys for men. It featured models of premium cars including BMW 645 Ci,  Ferrari Scaglietti; and Williams and Renault in its Hotwheels Collectibles; having a price ranging from Rs  999 to Rs 1,999. Changing Demographics Demographic variables like greater divorce rates, due to which kids get two sets of toys; increased  buying power per child due to 2 income families; and increasing involvement of grandparents are all  influencing the growth rate of the toys. THREATS/HINDRANCES/CHALLENGES Raw Material Costs There is a rise in the raw material costs, due to an increase in the manufacturing costs for  traditional toys Manufacturing Costs Most of the traditional toys are made from plastic resin. Petroleum, whose price is continuously increasing, is one  of the main components of plastic resin. This has a negatively impact on the manufacturing costs . Changing Consumer preferences Nowadays, customers prefer electronic games to traditional table games. This trend is not beneficial for  the traditional game equipment manufacturers. Revenue of the Video Games Industries and Traditional Toys ($ in billions) Industry 2004 2005 2006 2007 Video Games 9.9 10.5 12.5 18.9 Traditional Toys 22.4 22.2 22.3 21.2 Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 10 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research In India, toys arent perceived as developmental. So toy manufacturers take advantage of impulse  purchasing trends and the pester power of kids works in advantage for the toy manufacturers.Indian  parents perceive expenditure on toys as a waste of money. Educational games like Scrabble and toys for  pre-school children and infants are an exception to this belief. Impact of Recession Only when the consumers have enough disposable income to afford luxury goods, they buy toys. A  struggling U.S. housing market, rising oil prices and other factors have limited their income. The toy  industry was also affected by this trend, as its overall revenue decreased. Declining profits due to emphasis on product safety Product safety is another major concern of the toy industry. This was discovered when there was a rising  number of product recalls in the second half of 2007. So while companies put more focus on their higher  margin core brands, the positive margin implications from this shift are offset by quality and safety  testing, as well as higher costs for raw materials.   Competing with large brands Small manufacturers which form the bulk of the unorganized sector are unable to brand and market  their products, which has been a critical disadvantage for them. With a large number of players in the  market, only the international brands have a strong brand recall. Here, manufacturing competency isnt  the real concern since most of the branded players outsource their requirements from Indian  manufacturers. However, lack of marketing acumen and an expertise to cultivate brands is found to be  lacking in most indigenous companies. NEW STRATEGIES Coupling toy launch with movies and vice versa Transformers, Shrek, etc Art Attack a Television series by Hit Entertainment has also entered the toy market. It showcases  Do-It-Yourself arts and crafts in their videos and has now made them available in DVD formats  across major stores. They also merchandise their creative works through books. Cradle catching: In 2005, Mattel entered into a partnership with diaper brand Huggies. By this  move, Mattel targeted its potential audience at their birth place, and even before they were  born at the maternity homes.When the mothers visit the doctor for the first time, they are given  a medical file, as well as well as the information on the different phases that a child is likely to  pass through as it grows which helps in selecting toys from the Fisher Price range that fits each  growth phase ie. crawling, sitting, standing, etc. Within a very short period of time, they claimed to have targeted 600,000 mothers by having tie  ups with 300 pediatricians and 50 gynecologists, across the top six Indian cities. Also, another  innovative technique used by Mattel is a toy directory which is placed in retail outlets that  informs parents about the best toy for each age group. CASE ANALYSIS: TOY INDUSTRY AND BUYING TRENDS CASE #1 HAMLEYS, PHOENIX MILLS MALL, LOWER PAREL, MUMBAI Hamleys, the worlds iconic toy maker from UK, has set up a 21000 sq ft outlet spread over three floors in  Mumbai, its first branch in India through franchise agreement with Reliance Retail. The tie-up is valid for  20 years. The company plans to invest Rs.150 crore in the next seven years to set up 20 more stores  across the country, including tier-II cities. Brands Other than Hamleys own-brand range of toys, imported brands such as Mattel,  Hasbro, Disney, Fisher-Price, Playmobil, Leapfrog, Mecchano ,, Scalextrics, Hornby, Maisto,  Burrago, and Lego are also present in the store. Segments The shop has been divided into segments catering to infants, young boys girls,  teenagers and adults. It has a Barbie Doll House and Barbie Salon and Spa for young girls. Grand Racing Track for RC Cars, London Double Decker Bus, Safari Jeep for young boys. Petals Pods-Play area and Bear Tree House are for infant and pre-school children. Science Molecules, Candy Shop, Disney Castle, Experiential gaming stations, Party rooms  area are for teenagers. A KodakExpress studio has a shop-in-shop strategically placed in the center of the shop to  capture moments at Hamleys. Prices The price varies from as low as Rs 200 to as high as Rs 30,000 depending upon the  requirements and preferences of the customer. Most products are priced on the higher end of  the spectrum keeping the affluent urban folk in mind. Age Group It caters to infants, young boys and girls and teenagers. Board Games are popular  with adults also. MANAGERS VIEWS The shop is one of its kinds in Mumbai, since it is an exclusive toys only outlet with all kinds of toys  under one roof. The trends noted by them are that parents are more interested in buying toys and  games that offer educational value to their children; and children too are more interested in games that  offer intellectual stimulation. Children have moved from the traditional sports of cricket and kabaddi to  gaming consoles and Scrabble. Also adults are a growing segment with them fraying towards traditional  games such as Mancala a French board game, Monopoly, and Poker for which they buy Poker chips.   Workshops are organized to engage the children and merchandise related to new films are sold every  now and then to offer something new to the customers. CUSTOMERS VIEWS Customers always find it a delight to visit Hamleys since it offers so much variety . A few of the  customers just come with their children to provide some entertainment and spend time in the shop.   They appreciate the display of the store and the hygiene maintained in the store. Also, though a few  products were manufactured in China, they didnt mind buying them if they were sold in Hamleys since  the name offered credibility to the product. The range and variety of toys offered by them is also  unmatched. ANALYSIS COMMENTS Layout: The layout of the store is very carefully planned with the store being divided into a girls section  and a boys section. Educational board games, interior decoration kits and games for adults are placed in  the center of the shop. The section which caters to toys for toddlers is separate, and the floor above  only houses gaming consoles, CDs and educational books. Staff: A large number of staff take care of the customers needs and are specially trained to provide entertainment to their most important consumers the kids! The manager himself caters to customers  and entertains all doubts and queries to help them purchase what best suits their requirements. Store Aesthetics and marketing: A lot of effort has been taken to enhance the visual appeal of the store  through visual merchandizing and display walls. Most toys are displayed and little remote controlled  cars and helicopters zoom in and around the store some of them hovering above ones head or new  cars that stick to the walls. The store has a facility for gift wrapping their products, and children and  adults alike are allowed to touch and operate various toys in the store. CASE #2 MOTHER AND ME, R CITY MALL, GHATKOPAR, MUMBAI Mother Me is a Retail store owned by Mahindra Group, which caters to the need of Pregnant women,  infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers learners. Its toys section is huge and is gaining popularity day by day. Following are the details of its toys section:- Brands:-Fischer price, Funskool, Mattel, Lego, Disney V-tech Segments:-Soft toys, Wooden toys, Metal toys Plastic toys Prices:- 350 5000 Age Group 0 9 Yrs MANAGERS VIEWS Following are the points which Store Managers told us. They prefer to keep toys of price range 350 to 5000. Mother and Me use SAP for inventory replenishment. They have kept the toys according to their type (wooden toys at one place soft toys at another  place) rather than age group wise (toys for 0-5 yrs at one place). According to them toys which are able to connect to Indian traditions are highly in demand, eg.   Indian Barbies. Maximum complaints they receive are against Chinese toys and toys manufactured in China. CUSTOMERS VIEWS We received the following feedbacks from customers. Most of them buy toys once a month. Fishcer price is preferred by most of them Most of them prefer plastic toys over metal Wooden toys Most of them are not in favour of Chinese toys despite of the low of cost. Most of them were in favour of interactive toys. Some Customers stressed the need of toys, which inculcate the values necessary in human  society were against the toys, which resembles the violent figures or creature. ANALYSIS COMMENTS From the information provided by store Managers feedbacks from customers we analyzed that the Toy Industry has a bright future ahead but only if it meets the challenge of providing better quality Interactive toys, which not only make learning easy but also help in cultivating the  values necessary in human society. Light weight Plastic toys as they are easy to handle more resistant to wear tear. Value for money, as most of the parents feel toys overly priced. CASE #3 LANDMARK, PHOENIX MILLS MALL, LOWER PAREL, MUMBAI Landmark is a one s top destination for s hopping for toda ys youth. It consists of books, s tationery, garments, merchandize, music, toys, movies, gaming, Technology products and other gift items. Brands -There were various brands present in the store and a few of them are as follows Mattel,  Disney, Fisher-Price, Zapak and Lego are also present in the store. Segments The shop has been divided into segments where toys for infants, young boys and  girls and teenagers can be found. It also has a sports section and board game section. Prices The price varies from as low as Rs 200 to as high as Rs 15,000 depending upon the  requirements and preferences of the customer. The pricing is not exorbitant in Landmark and  most of the toys are priced by keeping the Indian customer in mind. Age Group It caters to infants, young boys and girls and teenagers. Board Games are popular  with adults also. MANAGERS VIEWS Maximum profit is generated from the infants toy section of the store. Selling one item from the infant  section is equivalent to selling 3-4 items from the others sections. Boys prefer hotwheels,cricket kit and  board games and girls are still hooked onto Barbie dolls. Toys are imported from France and Germany  and most of them are made in India. CUSTOMERS VIEWS Toys are ideal gifts for young children and they dont even cost a fortune when it comes to buying them.  Customers dont mind paying for the latest and most popular toys for the kids. ANALYSIS COMMENTS Landmark has been doing a good job of catering to the growing toys market and plans to introduce  more imported toys in future. The Sports goods have a prominent place in Landmark and a lot of  importance has been given to the sports and board game section. FUTURE OF TOYS Predicting the future is never easy. The future of toys specially very difficult to predict . You never know  when an old favorite toy will make a sudden resurgence into the mainstream or a new technology will  bring about yet another revolution in toy technology. Generally speaking, video game consoles would predictably always rise to the top of wish  lists. However, classic toys often come back to take over the lists for top toys. In recent years, weve  seen old comic book characters and action heroes rise to the top again after being in the bottom of  comic bins for years. This years Iron Man 2 brought back an old action favorite, and action figures and  cars are available with an Iron Man twist. Other movies like Transformers have done the same. Old favorite cartoons are also being brought to the forefront. A few years ago, a new Teenage Mutant  Ninja Turtles movie in CGI was released, and this past year, Transformers were all the rage. It wouldnt  surprise me to see He-Man or the Thundercats rise up to become live action or CGI movies themselves. If they do, expect them to corner the toy market after the movie is released. It would also be prudent not to underestimate the power of toy fads that are still going strong even 12  years later. Pokemon first got big in 1998, and has been a huge hit with video games, playing cards, and  T.V. shows ever since. It has been hard for toy manufacturers to dethrone Pokemon, because its such a  huge hit among kids and even young adults who grew up playing the game. Its very possible that it  could last for another 12 years or more. (What do you think of Pokemon? Indeed, toy inventors are pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence, speech synthesis, wireless  communications, and networked virtual reality. Whats more, they are figuring out how to cram huge  chunks of realistic graphics, dialogue, and sensory cues onto tiny, inexpensive computer chips. The toy  industry is really at the mercy of technology for the limits it can go to. There are only so many  interesting ways for them to reinvent dolls like Mr. Potato Head before kids are no longer  interested. Dolls like Furby were a step in the right direction, but the fad did not last for very  long. Technology working its way into the toys of the future will bring in a wider audience of interested  kids, but it has to be directed at toys that are more than just popular, but are fun too. The future of toys is bright and exciting. Any new innovation could shape the kinds of toys kids play  with. You can bet that the toys of the future are going to have something of the past, however. AUGMENTED REALITY: JET FUEL FOR THE IMAGINATION The future of toys almost undoubtedly belongs to augmented reality. Mattels i-Tags, will use Augmented Reality will be included with action figures the company will make  for Titanic director James Camerons blockbuster film, Avatar. Augmented reality is an overlay of digital information or imagery on top of real-world objects. WIKIPEDIA: Augmented Reality is a field of computer research that deals with the combination of realToy world and computer-generated data (virtual reality), where computer graphics objects are blended into real footage in real time. Think about it. The possibilities are just about endless, and could mean a whole new life for the kinds of  toys that kids at first play with a lot, and then quickly abandon. By embedding special software in imagery that can be placed just about anywhere on a toy, toy makers will now have an incredibly wide  range of virtual things to add to their physical toys. TOYS OF THE FUTURE ELECTRIC POP UP BOOKS Electronic Popables by Jie Qi is a pop-up book that lights up as you interact with it, producing the most  beautiful and dynamic pop-up pages ever. As you begin to go flip through the book open pages, pull  tabs, press pressure points and fold objects different LED lights will blink away on all over the page. They  can be a very efficient means of connecting holistically with the technology savvy kids. HORIZON HYDROCAR TOY The hydro car is a case in point. It does not depend on  batteries or electricity. Surprisingly this car produces  its own energy, running entirely on water. It is not only  Hydrocars functionality, but also its trendy, scientific  design that sets it apart. SCRIBBLE BOTS Scribble Bots is just a concept at the moment, but the idea is that children  can connect with their friends through the official website and share their  drawings, artwork and also the artistic process. The Scribble bots toy can  record and recreate movement so anyone with a scribble bot can download  your drawing and their scribble bot will draw it right for them, then and  there. TOUCH SENSITIVE VIDEO GAMES Usually, a lot of people do not see any fun in playing with  buttons and joysticks. This concept of touch sensitive games  employs touch sensitive silicon that simulates the terrain in a  game, empowering the users to feel their way through. No  major video game manufacturers are using technology quite  like this as of now, but we could see such technology being  used in the future. PARROT AR DRONE QUADRICOPTER Flying helicopter toys meets handheld video games with the Parrot  AR Drone Quadricopter. This isnt a simple chopper that flies around  the corner and crash because you cant see it. This device has a  built-in camera that lets you see everything from an iPhone or other  similar smart phones. Since joysticks are outdated, this toy uses  tilting gyroscopic controls, tilting the AR Drone as you tilt the  iPhone. MINDFLEX Remote controls are a thing of the past. Toys of the  future use mind control! Mindflex is a telekinetic  obstacle course that uses brainwave activity to move a  ball. Were not really sure how it works, but we like to  believe its because we have sci-fi like psychic powers. MILO The next biggest innovation in the toy world does not  belong to the genre of barbies or remote controlled cars or  thought controlled machines, but a virtual best friend. By  late 2010, Microsoft would release a new add-on for the  Xbox that will replace contr

Social Responsibilities of businesses :: essays research papers

"Outline the argument for and against business having social responsibilities beyond that of making a profit. In the light of this, do you think businesses should make charitable donations to the Tsunami appeal? Justify your answer." 26th April 2005 To best understand the nature of the posed question I propose the articulated finding of the widespread acceptance that cooperate official and labour leaders have a 'social responsibility' that extends beyond the realm of serving shareholder and its members (Friedman 1962, p. 133). The following essay is aimed at highlighting the role of businesses, whether they are to have interest other than solely making profit and if so what groups should benefit from the success of a company. According to Wilson (2004, Vol.23, p. 23) arguments, the nature of existence for business or corporations should be 'everything to do with service to society, and only secondarily to do with profitability.' But this is quite on the contrary to the apparently antediluvian view put forward by corporate executives Friedman and Levitt (cited in Wilson, 2004, Vol.23, p. 23) highlighting '.the business of business is making money, not sweet music.' So why is there discrepancy between the ideal view of business and which should be placed under higher priority the shareholders or stakeholders (society). To understand both points of view we need to identify the party's involved and the relationship they have to the business and business operations. A stockholder (shareholder) is one that owns or holds a share or shares of stock in company, enterprise or organisation (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, 2005). Shareholders are the financial backing in the organisation, they are generally people interested in making a profit (in the form of dividends) and they supply capital to the organisation. On the contrary stakeholder are seen as any party that has an interest in an organization. Stakeholders of a company include stockholders, bondholders, customers, suppliers, employees, and so forth (Scott, 2003). Given the definition or both involved parties it is clear to see that the success of the business in making a profit will please the shareholders however, to make long-run profits in turn requires compatibility and complacency from its revenue source; the stakeholders. This requires the need for mission and vision driven company which must be truly responsive to stakeholders not only its shareholders (Wilson, 2004, Vol.23, p.23). These 'social responsibilities' must however be driven directly at the stakeholders involved with the business dealings in order to serve equally the shareholders. A clear example of miss-aimed social contribution and one which resulted in strong shareholder opposition was outlined when a number of Australian companies pledged finances to the tsunami relief effort in

Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment Essay -- essays research papers

In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov concocts a theory: All men are divided into ‘ordinary’ and ‘extraordinary’. The extraordinary man should have the right to eliminate a few people in order to make his idea known to all humanity; however, the ordinary man has no right to transgress the law. Because he believes this theory is an idea that must be known to all humanity, he considers himself extraordinary; however, there is a legion of events that prove that Raskolnikov is not extraordinary.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One can be sure that Raskolnikov believes himself to be extraordinary when Porfiry says, “...surely you couldn’t have helped...fancying yourself...an ‘extraordinary’ man, uttering a new word in your sense.... That’s so, isn’t it?'; to which Raskolnikov replies, “Quite possibly'; (247). Raskolnikov was strongly prompted to murder Alyona when he recalled a conversation that took place between two ordinary men in a bar. One declared: I could kill that damned old woman and make off with her money without the faintest conscious-prick.... For one life, thousands would be saved from corruption and decay.... Besides, what value has the life of that sickly, stupid, ill-natured old woman in the balance of existence? (63) Raskolnikov reasoned that it would be honorable to kill Alyona since it would supposedly benefit humanity, but the fact that “...

Behaviorism - A Methodological Proposal of Explaining the Behavior Essa

Behaviorism must be seen as a methodological proposal of explaining the behavior of organisms from the lowest to the highest. Explaining human and nonhuman behavior by reference to scientific laws and the theories expressed of physical states, events, and entities. Because modern psychology emerged roughly in the mid-19th century, information of behaviorism was gathered in its early stages by introspection (looking at your own inner states of being; your own desires, feelings, and intentions) then linking them to the outside observable state. Introspection is a notoriously unreliable method for gathering information for scientific theories. There are 2 problems: 1) The introspection data is private. It is impossible for someone from the outside to know the inner states of someone else. Science demands publicly observable events for a community of scientists to confirm or reject empirical hypothesis by designing and testing experiments in an open arena for all other scientists to observe. 2) There is very little access to one’s total mental being (consciousness) since so much of it has been repressed into the unconscious. 1913 - J.D. Watson proposed the only proper object of study in psychology is behavior. Behavior is publicly observable . A team of scientists can observe the same phenomenon under investigation. They can then formulate a hypothesis to account for those behaviors. They can then form experiments so they can confirm or reject those hypothesis designed to explain the behavior of organisms. â€Å"the father of behaviorism† Exclusive attention given to publicly observable behavior. There will be no discussions on dreams, hopes, desires, feelings, or internal events. They must be avoided since they don’t offer explanatory value. Skinner deserves most of the credit. Behavior is the product of heredity (5%) and environment (95%). Marx is an economical determinist, Freud is the mental determinist, Skinner/Watson are environmental determinist - all events that occur in nature including those that we single out that are important (human actions) are themselves the inevitable common product or outcome of prior anteceded forces over which the individual has very little control over (determinism). We know man as an autonomous being (one whose choices are the result of decisions made, on our part, freely). The person is then responsibl... ...culture when he himself is conditioned by one? D. Logical fallacies: Reductionism. Whatever the theory doesn't account for does not exist. "Whatever my net can't catch ain't fish." Since Skinner cannot "catch" freedom or dignity, mind, morals, reasoned thought, or God, he insists that none of these things exist. E. There is no place for a rebel in Skinner's ideal society. But rebels are what bring about the intellectual and moral growth of a society. F. Ideas from modern physics and parapsychology seem to stand in opposition to Skinner's theories. IV. SUMMARY The teachings of behavioral technology are a useful educational tool but must not become a tool of manipulation. We find fault with Skinner's starting point, i.e., his assumptions about God, man and his environment. Skinner is a good technician, but a poor philosopher. Skinner asks us to replace the myth of freedom and dignity for the myth of scientism (naturalism). V. CONCLUSION Getting back to freedom and dignity involves acceptance of an infinite reference point. Darwin All organisms produce more offspring than that can possibly survive All organisms vary within a species Some of this variation is inherited

Case Study-Cooper Tire and Rubber Company Essay

Introduction â€Å"Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, founded in 1914, specializes in the manufacturing and marketing of rubber products for consumers. Products include automobile, truck and motorcycle tires, inner tubes, NVH control systems, automotive sealing, and fluid delivery systems.†(http://www.coopertire.com/about/). The case study on Cooper mainly concentrates on the tire industry, and  Therefore the following analysis will be based on this. Cooper Tire & Rubber co. has enjoyed much growth and strong returns. However, with intense competition and developments in new technology, Cooper must follow suite to maintain competitive advantage by balancing efficiency with cost specifically in the Replacement Tire Industry. To set the right strategies it is important for Cooper to first analyse the external environment, both on a macro and micro basis, and then assess the resources and capabilities/competences in order to get a detailed overview of the company. The External Environment The Macro environment; PEST framework Political/Legal Analysis The introduction of NAFTA and GATT has created new opportunities for tire manufacturers for the supply of cheap labour. Companies can reduce their costs by producing their tires in low-cost labour countries such as Mexico. The foreign trade sub zone status, which reduces the company’s duty payments on imported raw materials, benefit smaller companies like Cooper greatly as it allows them to compete on an international level with relatively smaller budgets. The tire market is a heavily unionised industry, by URW the industry’s union. Over the last years the union has won, after long strikes, increased wages and benefits for workers. Economical The industry as a whole is influenced by the economic demand for vehicles, this is characterised by the strength of the economy and the disposable incomes of the consumers. The early 90’s recession had a major effect on the industry. The decline in the car industry meant that the competition for replacement tires increased, whilst the original equipment demand fell. This resulted in many companies diversifying into the replacement market in a bid to compete. The gasoline prices have an effect on the tire industry, due to the number of miles driven by drivers. After many years with fluctuating gasoline price, the price is now reasonable and stable. Social In the tire industry, the standard of living has a direct effect on the demand for tires. An example of this is found in the sub urbanisation of the US community, which resulted in more wear and tear on tires, thus a need to change tires. In addition to this the transport industry, buses, taxis, and trucks were proving more popular than the rail system, thus increasing the demand for tires. Vehicle owners are often reluctant to spend money on replacement tires, as they do not want to spend money on an old car with the ambition to purchase a new vehicle in the short term. This social attitude has lead to low-cost tire producers being more attractive in the replacement tire market. Technology Customers in the OE market often set special requirements for tires. Due to improved technology, the companies can easier produce products tailored to customers’ needs. The introduction of new technology has also lead to companies being able to produce new, better quality products at low costs. This has lead to the importance in having the latest technologic equipment in order to compete in the market. The Microenvironment; Porter’s Five Forces Model Threat of Entry by Potential Competitors New entrants in this industry may be deterred to enter the industry, due to the high fixed cost investments needed in plants and equipment. The incumbent companies have also achieved economies of scale through mass production and production know-how as they have moved down the â€Å"learning-curve†. The brand loyalty is quite moderate, but consumers do not face any cost in the eventuality they decide to switch from an incumbent manufacturer to a new entrant. When considering all these factors as barriers to entry, the barriers to entry for new competitors would be moderate/high. Rivalry among established companies The OE market is highly consolidated with Goodyear, Michelin and Bridgestone dominating the slightly growing market. The competition is fierce, and the players in the market compete mainly on price and product technology differentiation. The replacement market is more fragmented, and cost reduction is used as the  key competitive strategy. In both markets, competitive structure results in more rivalry as tire manufacturing companies have to fight to maintain revenues and market shares. The exit barriers present in the industry lock incumbent companies from leaving the industry when profits are low. Main barriers are the investment in plants and equipments, pensions and insurance for workers. The competitive structure and the high exit barriers show clearly that the rivalry among established companies is fairly high. Power Of Buyers In the OE market, the buyers are the automobile and truck manufacturers that buy tires in large quantity and are relatively few compared to the tire companies. They have the possibility to switch orders from one supplier to another in order to get the most convenient deal (quality products at low prices). As for tire manufacturers loosing one single buyer would mean loosing a large market share, and therefore the power of buyers is high. In the tire replacement market, the buyers consist of independent tire dealers, service stations, major department stores and automobile dealerships. Independent dealers are the most powerful retail channels as they satisfy almost 66 percent of the replacement market and have been proved to have the ability to influence customers’ choice, they will have the power to agree convenient deals with tire manufacturers. However, the power of retail channels is fairly low, as they buy in relatively small quantity secondly and the tire firms can easily switch to other solutions such as manufactured-owned retail stores or simply other dealers. Power of Suppliers The power of suppliers of raw material is low. The main reason is that â€Å"all of the raw materials are commodities, available in bulk from a variety of  sources on world markets.† Therefore, tire manufacturers can easily switch from one source to another. Furthermore, tire firms can eventually vertically (backward) integrate the processes to obtain the raw materials they need. On the other hand, it would be less likely for suppliers to threat tire manufacturers forward integrating into tire manufacturing as they would have to face the high barriers to entry the industry. Complements The demand and profitability of the tire industry depends critically on the oil and auto/truck manufacturing industry. Lower gasoline prices increase the number of miles driven by vehicles, which lead to more wear and tear on tires and an increasing demand for replacement tires. If the number of new cars sold declines, it means that drivers are holding on to their cars longer, and the demand for replacement tires increases. The demand for OE tires is directly related to the number of new vehicles produced and sold. The number of new vehicles produced worldwide has been stable the last years. Substitutes The retread tire market segment is a substitute of the replacement tire manufacturing industry, because it serves a similar consumer need. However, the retread market is not a threat to the tire industry anymore. In 1996 the sales of retread tires started declining, due to the fact that buyers could purchase new, more reliable tires for a slightly increase in the price. Cooper’s resources, competences and competitive/business strategy As Hill & Hones argue, â€Å"a distinctive competency is unique strength that allows a company to achieve superior efficiency, quality, innovation or customer responsiveness and thereby to create superior value and attain a competitive advantage†. Cooper with its distinctive competencies is achieving substantial low costs compared to that of its rivals through its key resources and capabilities. Key resources and competences Intangible Resources and Competences A key intangible resource has been identified through Coopers distribution. This involves Coopers relationship with its wholesalers as it sells half of its production as a private label to store-chains, mass merchants and discounters, while the other half is sold under the Cooper brand through independent tire dealers. Cooper has achieved superior customer responsiveness by developing a good relationship with their distributors through valuing them instead of competing against them. Cooper’s inventory system is a key resource that has helped them in cut costs even further, when using the capability of buying ahead to get cheaper deals. Cooper has the competence of bringing their products quickly to the market by outstanding service to the distribution channel with an efficient automated material handling system. Cooper knows that it is pointless to compete against the largest players in the market like Michelin and Bridgestone when it comes to R&D. Instead they copy and imitate the largest companies. â€Å"Instead of pioneering its own design, the company often waits to see what sells well†. In addition, Cooper use their efficient technologic manufacturing equipment so they can produce products at higher standards tailored to meet customers requirements. Cooper also concentrates on implementing new ideas, and innovation is developed through the manufacturing of new production lines. This no frills approach of manufacturing its products, aided by product innovation leads to reduced costs. Cooper has a low marketing expenditure, compared to their competitors. They focus their marketing and promotional strategy towards their most important customers, which are dealers and distributors. The TQM (Total Quality Management) Concept Gorr, chief executive of Cooper supports the TQM concept, and argues that the company’s corporate philosophy is to â€Å"produce value and quality, as defined by the customer†. Top quality management is an intangible resource, which gives them the capability to produce products that are superior to their competitors. It also creates efficient production methods while delivering excellent service to its distribution channel. This is represented in their strategic â€Å"Cooper 21† plan. Cross-functional teams have also been developed within the organisation, where employee skills and know how can be easily switched from department to department. The decision making although undertaken by management were made in consultation with all members of the company, as employees implement ideas in the most effective way. Cooper is therefore capable of developing and producing tires at a lower cost relative to those of its competitors. In addition Coopers innovative compensation system where by wages rise or fall due to the individual’s performance further contributes to motivation and overall productivity. An effective measure of efficiency is employee productivity, and Cooper is much more efficient than their competitors (see Appendix 1). Coopers, recruitment process in aid with its screening test is also designed to â€Å"team players†, which is designed to identify people with the â€Å"right attitude† to fit the job. This improved quality maintained by Cooper means that costs decrease because of less rework, fewer mistakes, fewer delays, and batter use of time and materials. Consequently productivity improves as â€Å"better quality leads to higher market share† (Hill and Jones, Strategic Management, 2001). Tangible Resources Cooper’s plants located in small towns and Mexico are one of its key tangible resources. Its plants have provided the company with cheaper resources including plants and labour. When Cooper want to expand its capacity, buying old plants and refurbishing them are very cheap. This tangible resource has helped cooper to create superior efficiency of resources as it permit to  reap savings over the company. Cooper’s own designed equipment is a valuable tangible resource for the company. Its own production equipment meet better the company’s own needs and specifications than commercial equipment. Cooper’s custom machines have helped to create superior efficiency and productivity in the production process by increasing production capacity at a reduced time. Its computer technology has not only enabled Cooper to keep up with its competitors but also reduced its costs. Contribution of Key Resources and Competences to the Value Chain To gain competitive advantage on its competitors, Cooper Tire focuses its strategy on what are its key resources and capabilities. It is really about maximising and concentrating all the key strengths of the different organisation’s primary and support activities, as represented in the value chain diagram. One of the strongest advantage for Cooper Tire is its ability to produce good quality tires at low cost, and this is the result of a winning combination of key resources such us technological machinery and key capabilities such as low-cost production know how and an efficient product distribution. In terms of value chain Cooper Tire creates its value with an efficient and consistent production, marketing and sales activities and at the same time with a well-organized company infrastructure. For these reasons Cooper Tire pursues a cost-leadership competitive/business strategy that will enable the company to maximise profit and expand. As Hill & Jones stated: † A strategy is an action a company takes to attain one or more of its goals/(superior performance).† Therefore, once established that Cooper’s goals are to produce good quality products at the lowest costs possible, maximise profit and expand the company, therefore the strategy will consist of the actions taken to achieve these goals. One of the main resources that contributes to Cooper’s low-cost strategy is  the company’s cheap plants and labour. In particular, as Cooper operates mainly in the replacement tire market where it is not vital to pioneer in product innovation and design, its competitive/business strategy is mainly based on a low level of product differentiation. Very little is invested in product R&D and tires designs and characteristics are adapted in relations to other companies’ already successful products. On the other hand much more attention and investments are dedicated to implement the distinctive competency of effective manufacturing and materials management. More in details, the effective manufacturing and materials management consist in adopting high computer technology for â€Å"product design and development, machine design and mold design†. Technology enables Cooper to produce high quality products quicker than most of its competitors and therefore adds much value to its products. Cooper are characterised by its shared norms and values attained from employee quality and innovation (TQM) with employee recruitment tests for â€Å"team players and communicators† undertaken by Cooper. This has been reflected in its organisational culture. As a result value is added as competitive advantage is attained because it is difficult to imitate staff operations and efficiencies in decision-making, which is reflected in its Source Award for its quality. Company No. of Employees Estimated Capacity (units per day) Output per employee Goodyear 22830 366900 16.07 Michelin 17505 216000 12.34 Bridgestone 9145 129900 14.20 Cooper 4300 126000 29.30 Continental/General 4509 87600 19.42